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At one point, Nathilog was a fortress with ringed-round cyclopean walls, thick towers and deep donjons. During that time, a shipwrecked Seguleh was given a tour of its defenses to demonstrate that the place was impregnable. A detailed description of the encounter was given in Sulerem of Mengal's Histories of Genabackis.[4]

Prior to the conquest by the Malazan Empire, Nathilog had been notorious as a haven for pirates ruled by self-styled barons.[2] This collection of barons may have been what Crokus Younghand once referred to as the "Nathilog Confederacy".[5]

Presumably, an event known as the First Age of the Nathilog Wars took place here. Quick Ben said it occurred long before the Malazan Empire and involved the sorceress Nightchill.[6]

Nathilog became one of the main trading points for goods from Genabackis en route to Quon Tali. Its aristocracy was eventually completely Talianised.[2]

Anomander Rake thought the Malazan conquest of the city had been to its betterment. He described the city as once being less even than the pre-conquest Genabaris, which he labelled a "fetid sore". The Malazans had brought peace, reparation, law, and order. Now both cities could claim rivalry to Darujhistan.[8]

The self-styled Legate of Darujhistan sent an emissary to each of the ex-free cities, including Nathilog, to demand their governors' allegiance. The incredulous Agull'en pointed out that Darujhistan had no troops while the Malazans had thousands, then ordered the emissary flayed. It was likely Agull'en did not survive the emissary's response, which killed his guards and destroyed his ruling hall.[9]